Control unit for light signals



April 11, 1950 w. B. WELLS CONTROL UNIT FOR LIGHT SIGNALS Original Filed Aug. 31, I943 I N VliN TOR. lZ/arleyB. Zl/ellm. 8)

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Patented Apr. 11, 1950 CONTROL UNIT FOR LIGHT SIGNALS Wesley B. Wells, Wilkinsburg, Pa, assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application August 31, 1943, Serial No.

1945, Serial No. 593,169

' 3 Claims.

My invention relates to light signals, and more particularly to a light signal mechanism for displaying any one of a plurality of different colored lights from a single light source.

' The present application is a division of my application Serial No; 500,643, filed August 31, 1943, for Light signals, now Patent No. 2,407,355, granted September 10, 1946. I I

Railway signals, commonly known as searchligh signals, use different color filters which are selectively operated into a light beam to display any one of a plurality of diiierent colored lights. The three colors red, yellow and green are the colors usually employed anda conventional arrangement is to dispose the filters with the red between the yellow and green and to bias the member or spectacle arm which carries such filters to a mid position where the red filter is in the light beam. Electromagnetic means of the rotary type is usually connected to the spectacle arm to rotate the arm either to the left or to the right from the biased mid position to brin the yellow or green filter into the light beam, the direction of rotation of the spectacle arm being effected according to the polarity of the energy supplied to the electromagnetic means. Such construction causes the red filter to pass through the light beam in changing from yellow to green, or vice versa, and a fiash of the red signal light results. Also, in such light signals, minimum energy, minimum friction and binding at pivots and linkage in the connections to avoid a false signal,

ability to withstand vibration without excessive wear, use of plug-in type of circuit connectors and minimum space are essential characteristics.

Accordingly, a feature of my invention is the provision of novel and improved mechanism for a multiple color light signal wherewith a member is gravity biased to one extreme or first positionand is successively operated by electromagnetic means to a second and thence to a third or another extreme position to avoid unwanted red signal flashes during a change in the position of the signal mechanism.

Another feature of m invention is the provision of novel and improved means for interconnecting the armatures of two electromagnets for operating a member to any one of three difierent positions according as the electromagnets are deenerg-ized, one magnet only is energized or both magnets are energized.

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Divided and this application May 11,

Again, a feature of my invention is the provision of an improved mechanism for light signals of the searchlight type and wherewith the operating electromagnets are disposed for minimum space and use of plug-in type of circuit connectors and are arranged for minimum friction and binding at the pivots and linkage by which the armatures of the electromagnets are operatively connected to a three-position actuating member.

Other features, objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification progresses.

To accomplish the foregoing features and advantages'of my invention I provide two tractive armature type electromagnets side by side with a given space between them, and which magnets are preferably disposed for their armatures to be pivoted in the same horizontal plane. An exten sion member or arm is attached to each armature at its free end and these extension membersare offset or otherwise disposed to bring their free ends in the same plane. A floating lever is pivotally attached at its ends to these extension members, and this floating lever in turn is pivotally connected intermediate its ends by means of a link or depending arm to a three-position member which is pivoted at one end and carries at its other ends color filters movable with respect to a light beam. The parts are so proportioned as to bias by gravity or otherwise this three-position actuating member to a first extreme position and the linkage connections are such that this member is operated through the floating lever to a amount of power.

embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 2| and 23 designate two armatures each of which is operatively associated with an electromagnet not shown. As disclosed each armature 2| and 23 is of the tractive type and as is well known for such armatures each is biased by its own weight or otherwise to a released position when the associated electromagnet is deenergized and is drawn by magnetic attraction to a picked u position when the magnet is energized. Armatures 2| and 23 with their magnets are arranged side by side in parallel vertical planes with a given distance between them and each armature is pivoted in a transverse plane. That is, each armature is pivoted in a plane at right angles to the vertical plane of the magnet, armature 2| being carried on pivots 22a and 22b and armature 23 being carried on pivots 24c and 24b. The two armatures 21 and 23 are preferably pivoted in the same horizontal plane.

Two extension members 653 and BI are secured to armatures 2| and 23, respectively, to extend from the free end of the respective armature. These extension members are made of difierent lengths and are offset so that their free ends are disposed in alignment approximately half-way between the two armatures, that is, on the center line between the armatures. A floating lever 62 is pivotally attached at its ends to the free ends of the extension members 69 and 6! and is pivotally connected intermediate its ends by means of a link 63 with an actuating member 3a. Actuating member Illa is pivoted at one end at point 64 and carries at its other end a cylindrical or curved shaped member 65 having three color filters R, Y and G arranged in the order named, with the filter R at the top. In the form of mechanism here disclosed, the pivot point 64 is located in the vertical plane through the center line between the armatures 2! and 23 and above the floating lever 62 so that the free end of the member Illa swings in the vertical plane parallel to the vertical planes of the armatures and their magnets. It is clear that pivot point 66 can be below the floating lever and the free end of the member Ida swings in this vertical plane midway between the armatures. To compensate for the differences in the length between extension members 60 and 6!, the link 63 is pivotally attached to floating lever 52 at a point which is closer to the member 68 than it is to the member 6!.

The parts are so proportioned that when both armatures 2| and 23 are released, that is, when both associated electromagnets are deenergized,

member Ina is biased for the filter R to be at the focal point of an associated optical assembly. When either armature 2! or 23 is picked up and the other armature is released, the member lfia is operated to a second position to bring the yellow filter Y at the focal point, and when both armatures are picked up, the member Itla is operated to a third position to bring the green filter G to the focal point.

Since the armatures 2| and 23 are pivoted in transverse planes it is clear that contact members can be actuated by each armature satisfactory for plug-in type of circuit connectors.

It is to be seen therefore that the light signal mechanism here disclosed has the advantages that the pivots are all in parallel planes so that friction and binding are minimized, lost motion at any of the pivots is not required to avoid binding and wear due to vibrations is reduced, the actuating member is successively operated to three different positions, and signal flashes 4 avoided, a relatively small movement of the armatures provides ample movement of the colored filters and the space required for the mechanism is small.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of light signals embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my'invention what I claim is:

1. In a light signal mechanism, the combination comprising, two extension members transversely pivoted to swing in parallel vertical planes a given distance apart, said extension members being pivoted in the same horizontal plane and in the same transverse plane and each operable from a first to a second position, said extension members of different lengths and ofiset for their free ends to align in a vertical plane passing through the center line between the extension members,'a floating lever having its ends pivotally connected to the free ends of said extension members, an actuating member having one end pivotally mounted in the vertical plane passing through said center line and at a point above said horizontal plane, and a link to pivotally connect an intermediate point of said floating lever to an intermediate point of said actuating member to operate the free end of that member to difierent preselected positionsin response tothe operation of one or both of said extension members.

2. In a light signal mechanism, the combination comprising, two extension members placed side by side a given distance apart and each transversely pivoted for the two to swing in parallel vertical planes, said two extension members disposed to extend in the same direction from their pivot points and each made operable to a released and a picked-up position, said extension members of different lengths and ofisetto bring their free ends in alignment in a preselected vertical plane between the vertical planes of the extension members, a floating lever having its ends pivotally connected to the free ends of said extension members, an actuating member having one end pivotally mounted in said preselected vertical plane for its free end to swing in a vertical plane parallel to and between the vertical planes of said extension members, and means to pivotally connect an intermediate point of said floating lever to said actuating member to swing the actuating member to one position when only one of said extension members is picked up and to another position when both of saidextension members are picked up.

3. In combination, two extension members pivotally mounted in the same horizontal plane a desired distance apart so that the two extension members swing about their pivots in parallel vertical planes, said two extension members disposed to extend in the same, direction from their pivot points and each made operable to a released and a picked-up position, said extension members are made of different lengths and are offset for their free ends to align in a vertical plane parallel to and midway between said verti-- cal planes in which said extension members swing about their pivots, a bar shaped actuating member having one end pivotally mounted in a horizontal plane parallel to the horizontal plane in which said extension members are pivoted and having its free end to swing in an arc in said Y 2,503,786 5 d a vertical plane in which the free ends of sai v extension members are aligned, a floating lever REFERENCES CITED having its longitudinal axis lying in said vertical h following references are of record in th file of this patent:

plane in which the free ends of said extension members are aligned and having its ends pivotal- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1y connected to the free ends of the extension members; and means to pivotally connect an inq ggi g gffi: A IP I IQM termediate Point of said lever to said actuating 2337651 Douglass 1943 member to operate the free end of the actuating 2376534 Field 2 1945 member to a first, second or a third position 10 2:399:173 nouglggs- B; 36 1946 according as said extension members are both released, one extension member is picked up and the other released or both are picked up.

WESLEY B. WELLS. 

